Design & Print

Most likely, you will be working with in-house or freelance designers who will turn your manuscript into a printable document. Try to involve them early in the process. They can help you set up the structure of the piece, either by reviewing the rough manuscript or designing a sample unit. They can also get a jump on image research.

With your designer, review the overall content and structure, the target audience, the budget, and the schedule. Share any ideas you have for photographs or illustration. Involve whoever will be working with your printer, and have him or her get an updated print quote and notify the printer when to expect the job and how much paper to order.

Develop a detailed production schedule with your designer. Allow yourself enough time to review and comment on the design sketches, and for the designer to incorporate your changes. Remember, your designer often has other jobs she is working on.

Once your design and structure are set, the designer will "pour in" the copy to make sure it fits, and you will begin reviewing the designed pages. From here on, it is not cost-effective to make significant copy changes beyond cutting copy to fit or create more white space.

Make sure to have someone proofread the final designed pages before they go to the printer or Web producer. No matter how clean your final manuscript, errors always creep in during the design process. Now your designer is ready to hand off your project to the printer.